Customs? USA to UK

[Hitman]

Hi, just been reading... do you have to pay custom charges on something worth £80(ish) (in this case a watch) if it's from the USA entering the UK? I paid the ebay seller $32 for the shipping fees, which is with USPS (United States Postal Service).

If so, how much, and who do they bill? The person sending the item or receiving?

Thanks.

EDIT: Just read the USPS site, it says something about the sender printing off customs forms or something... so I guess the sender would pay (if need be), right?

[5,5]

Im pretty sure they would bill the sender, but im not positive.

[Hitman]

Hmm okay thanks. I just don't want to receive the item and then get a bill for extra.

[Coheed&Cambria]

Yeah but your best of checking just in case.

[Hitman]

From what I can gather, items marked as gifts don't have to pay VAT. Order under $100 (not sure about £100) don't have to either. VAT is 17.5% of the items price/value, I think. One site said 99% of post gets through without interference anyway.

The watch itself was £77 and 17.5% of that is £4, so if I do need to pay VAT it's not much. The seller didn't say anything about customs, so I guess he sorts it out (some other auctions say "You sort out customs blah blah...".

I'll leave it for now - if it's £4 extra then it doesn't matter.

Once I bought walkie talkies from the USA, they cost around $90. I didn't have to pay any VAT for them I don't think.

[Jordy]

From what I can gather, items marked as gifts don't have to pay VAT. Order under $100 (not sure about £100) don't have to either. VAT is 17.5% of the items price/value, I think. One site said 99% of post gets through without interference anyway.

The watch itself was £77 and 17.5% of that is £4, so if I do need to pay VAT it's not much. The seller didn't say anything about customs, so I guess he sorts it out (some other auctions say "You sort out customs blah blah...".

I'll leave it for now - if it's £4 extra then it doesn't matter.

Once I bought walkie talkies from the USA, they cost around $90. I didn't have to pay any VAT for them I don't think.You should be fine and as he's not a business you should be able to claim 'Gift' if the problem does arrive.

btw VAT is now 15% where have you been these past few months?

[Hitman]

You should be fine and as he's not a business you should be able to claim 'Gift' if the problem does arrive.

btw VAT is now 15% where have you been these past few months?
He's kind of a business... but I think he'll mark it as gift, hopefully.

Ah that's nice to hear. I've been in Spain. :P

Just noticed I did the calculations wrong, it's because I have a maths test tomorrow! :(

[Andeeh]

Haha good luck in test.

should be ok

[Hitman]

Thanks. ;)

I've just found this on the Royal Mail website:


As of the 1st of December 2008 you will no longer be required to pay customs duty for goods up to the value of £105, however you will still be required to pay import VAT and excise duty where applicable.

The watch only cost £77. It's all so very confusing. :(

[kurtis5561]

Hi, just been reading... do you have to pay custom charges on something worth £80(ish) (in this case a watch) if it's from the USA entering the UK? I paid the ebay seller $32 for the shipping fees, which is with USPS (United States Postal Service).
If customs do check the package you will have to pay as it is over the threshold. You would have to pay £4.32 duty and £17.56 VAT plus £8 fee from royal mail as they pay it on your behalf then bill you.


If so, how much, and who do they bill? The person sending the item or receiving?

Thanks.

EDIT: Just read the USPS site, it says something about the sender printing off customs forms or something... so I guess the sender would pay (if need be), right?
No you pay being the importer, these forms you read about are the CN22 customs declarations to the contents of the package.

[Hitman]

If customs do check the package you will have to pay as it is over the threshold. You would have to pay £4.32 duty and £17.56 VAT plus £8 fee from royal mail as they pay it on your behalf then bill you.

No you pay being the importer, these forms you read about are the CN22 customs declarations to the contents of the package.
And if they don't check it then I don't have to pay anything?

So basically, I could end up paying nothing or I could end up paying £30.

[kurtis5561]

And if they don't check it then I don't have to pay anything?

So basically, I could end up paying nothing or I could end up paying £30.
Correct, Litterally the variables are:

Which customs port it comes through in the UK. (Mount Pleasent are the worst for being sticklers)
Did the Customs agent get any the night before and is in a good mood (they may let it slide through Sounds stupid I know but true)
Did the sender declare as a gift
What the value of the declared package is.

[Hitman]

Correct, Litterally the variables are:

Which customs port it comes through in the UK. (Mount Pleasent are the worst for being sticklers)
Did the Customs agent get any the night before and is in a good mood (they may let it slide through Sounds stupid I know but true)
Did the sender declare as a gift
What the value of the declared package is.
Ah right okay. What are the exact percentages you have to pay?

I imagine the sender hasn't declared it as a gift and the declared price will be
$100 - $105.

Thanks for your help, all of the websites are confusing. For example, it said one price you have to pay is 3.5% of the declared price... another says more, some say less. Blah.

The HM Rev. and Customs site says:

You will be charged:
Customs duty if the amount of duty is €10 (£7) or over
Import VAT if the value of the goods is €22 (£18) and over

That's saying if the calculated duty is over a certain amount. Custom duty is 3.5% according to HM Rev., which is going to be £2.69. Important VAT is 15%, so that's £11.55. So if it's declared as £77 ($105) then I shouldn't have to pay anything.

[kurtis5561]

Ah right okay. What are the exact percentages you have to pay?

I imagine the sender hasn't declared it as a gift and the declared price will be
$100 - $105.

Thanks for your help, all of the websites are confusing. For example, it said one price you have to pay is 3.5% of the declared price... another says more, some say less. Blah.
Its 4.5% Standard Duty rate as the goods is a watch and 15% VAT, Plus the carrier (ie Royal Mail, UPS etc) automatically pay it for you then charge you the amount plus a charge of between £8 and £13 for the pleasure. Although it sounds like the royal mail will be the UK carrier and the charge for them is £8

This is on the basis it gets picked up by customs ;)

[Hitman]

Its 4.5% Standard Duty rate as the goods is a watch and 15% VAT, Plus the carrier (ie Royal Mail, UPS etc) automatically pay it for you then charge you the amount plus a charge of between £8 and £13 for the pleasure. Although it sounds like the royal mail will be the UK carrier and the charge for them is £8

This is on the basis it gets picked up by customs ;)
Cheers you've been very helpful mate. :D

The thing I posted is saying if the Customs Duty is less than £7 and the VAT is less than £18 then you wont be charged. Working it out the Customs Duty will be £4 something and the VAT is £11.55 so it's below those values.

As you said, that is if it gets picked up.

[kurtis5561]

Cheers you've been very helpful mate. :D

The thing I posted is saying if the Customs Duty is less than £7 and the VAT is less than £18 then you wont be charged. Working it out the Customs Duty will be £4 something and the VAT is £11.55 so it's below those values.

As you said, that is if it gets picked up.
It depends what UN classification it falls under, In the UK if it costs more than £18 they will apply duty, Oh you know they apply the Duty/VAT to shipping charges aswell ;) Its a ball ache I know but it is the UK goverment and they charge.

As we say thats if it gets picked up. Just hope it doesn't scream "Open me officially" or is a VERY big package, as the customs officers will be drawn to it.

I've only ever heard of issues from US imports Chinese imports seem to be waved through (Im assuming Chinese imports go through Manchester and Newcastles customs centre and the US go through Mount pleasant)

[Stephen!]

You have a 50/50 chance of your package being inspected.

[Hitman]

It depends what UN classification it falls under, In the UK if it costs more than £18 they will apply duty, Oh you know they apply the Duty/VAT to shipping charges aswell ;) Its a ball ache I know but it is the UK goverment and they charge.

As we say thats if it gets picked up. Just hope it doesn't scream "Open me officially" or is a VERY big package, as the customs officers will be drawn to it.

I've only ever heard of issues from US imports Chinese imports seem to be waved through (Im assuming Chinese imports go through Manchester and Newcastles customs centre and the US go through Mount pleasant)
The watch plus the shipping charge totals $137 ($105 and $32) which is just over £100 (£100.83 to be exact), which is still under £18 and £7. Customs duty would be £4.5 and VAT would be £15.

I imagine it's a smallish box... its final destination is Leicester, so I've no idea where it'll go to.

EDIT: Thanks Stephen, lets hope I'm in the 50% that doesn't get inspected. Knowing me though it will be inspected. :rolleyes:

EDIT: Wait, VAT has to be paid anyway, just the customs duty might not have to be. Brrr.

[kurtis5561]

The watch plus the shipping charge totals $137 ($105 and $32) which is just over £100 (£100.83 to be exact), which is still under £18 and £7. Customs duty would be £4.5 and VAT would be £15.

I imagine it's a smallish box... its final destination is Leicester, so I've no idea where it'll go to.

EDIT: Thanks Stephen, lets hope I'm in the 50% that doesn't get inspected. Knowing me though it will be inspected. :rolleyes:

EDIT: Wait, VAT has to be paid anyway, just the customs duty might not have to be. Brrr.

VAT and standard duty has to be paid, Customs duty was abolished, that is if it gets caught ;)

[Hitman]

Thanks, I get it now. I'll end up paying £27 extra if customs decide to take a look... bloody rip off. :'( Really hoping they don't bother.

[kurtis5561]

Thanks, I get it now. I'll end up paying £27 extra if customs decide to take a look... bloody rip off. :'( Really hoping they don't bother.
Hopefully the seller sent it as a gift then its upto the customs agent if (s)he does pick it up to just waive it through.

Hopefully it won't get picked up, If you bought it through paypal/ebay you could raise a dispute asking for said customs charges back

[Hitman]

Hopefully the seller sent it as a gift then its upto the customs agent if (s)he does pick it up to just waive it through.

Hopefully it won't get picked up, If you bought it through paypal/ebay you could raise a dispute asking for said customs charges back

Hmm dunno if he has, he said nothing at all about customs in the listing or anything... he's shipping it today, so I'll get an email with some info later and I can track it.

Do you know what they look out for when picking something up? Or is it just like every tenth package?

It'll be the size of a watch box, so not very big really. If any customs charges are applied then I'll contact the seller and ask about a refund for some/all of the charges back because he said nothing about them.

Cheers!

[kurtis5561]

Hmm dunno if he has, he said nothing at all about customs in the listing or anything... he's shipping it today, so I'll get an email with some info later and I can track it.

Do you know what they look out for when picking something up? Or is it just like every tenth package?

It'll be the size of a watch box, so not very big really. If any customs charges are applied then I'll contact the seller and ask about a refund for some/all of the charges back because he said nothing about them.

Cheers!
Depends, In mount pleasant (Where most of the US Mail traffic comes through) they pick packages that stand out, or if none stand out to them they pick up random ones, but usually mail (if it comes in a USPS mail bag and not as a parcel) comes in big bags, and they randomly pick bags and check everything in them, they have to search a certain amount each day, If it is a metal watch when it is xrayed in the UK it will likely to be stopped as they will suspect foul play if it is bunched together and metal is emulating from it.

But don't worry they have seen watches before, they will see them in the xray again, Hopefully the nice people (YES you are very nice) at mount pleasant pick the next bag then your alright

[Hitman]

Depends, In mount pleasant (Where most of the US Mail traffic comes through) they pick packages that stand out, or if none stand out to them they pick up random ones, but usually mail (if it comes in a USPS mail bag and not as a parcel) comes in big bags, and they randomly pick bags and check everything in them, they have to search a certain amount each day, If it is a metal watch when it is xrayed in the UK it will likely to be stopped as they will suspect foul play if it is bunched together and metal is emulating from it.

But don't worry they have seen watches before, they will see them in the xray again, Hopefully the nice people (YES you are very nice) at mount pleasant pick the next bag then your alright
Where the hell is mount pleasant btw? :P It's coming with USPS but I dunno in what exactly. Probably a big pink and green box knowing my luck.

The xray things are like airport ones, aren't they? They mostly pick up substances or they show things such as knives (the shape of metal). Hopefully they'll see it's a watch and let it through...

[kurtis5561]

Where the hell is mount pleasant btw? :P It's coming with USPS but I dunno in what exactly. Probably a big pink and green box knowing my luck.

The xray things are like airport ones, aren't they? They mostly pick up substances or they show things such as knives (the shape of metal). Hopefully they'll see it's a watch and let it through...

Yeah they are the same ones.

So royal mail will be the UK handler, Mount pleasant, The customs place called mount pleasant is in liverpool and there is a mount pleasant in London, Both have customs facilities.

If you look on Google Maps you will see many different places, But rule of thumb is these mount pleasants are at the airports. I asked my friend who works for customs and he said it could come through Manchester, who aren't as strict as mount pleasant.

Hopefully it won't get caught.

[Hitman]

Yeah they are the same ones.

So royal mail will be the UK handler, Mount pleasant, The customs place called mount pleasant is in liverpool and there is a mount pleasant in London, Both have customs facilities.

If you look on Google Maps you will see many different places, But rule of thumb is these mount pleasants are at the airports. I asked my friend who works for customs and he said it could come through Manchester, who aren't as strict as mount pleasant.

Hopefully it won't get caught.
I'll try and find out which airport deals with Leicester... I asked my dad and he reckons it'll be Nottingham (do they even do airmail?)

I've just thought though... the VAT is placed on items because of competition against UK businesses (cheaper goods in other countries etc), however you can only buy this watch from the USA I think (the company is in the USA and I can't find them on UK websites).

[kurtis5561]

I'll try and find out which airport deals with Leicester... I asked my dad and he reckons it'll be Nottingham (do they even do airmail?)

I've just thought though... the VAT is placed on items because of competition against UK businesses (cheaper goods in other countries etc), however you can only buy this watch from the USA I think (the company is in the USA and I can't find them on UK websites).
It doesn't matter, its based on you have choose to import it into the country, Like if you went to cuba and brought cigars back its based on you have choosen to import them and if you import more than your allowance you will be liable to pay the import duties (Standard duty and VAT)

According to my mate you are Served by the customs centres at Manchester, Heathrow (Mount Pleasant), East Midlands or Newcastle depending on which flight Royal mail bring it over in.